Database Notes

DATABASE NOTES

What is a database? An organized collection of related information.

Unorganized information is meaningless and difficult to use. (Example: scrambled list of universities and their mascots.)

Organized data is easy to understand. (Same example with mascots paired with their schools.)

Print Databases that we are familiar with include:

telephone directories

encyclopedias and dictionaries

Computerized Databases you may be familiar with include:

SIMS (Student Information management System)

Automated Card Catalog

CD-ROM Encyclopedias

Advantages of Computerized Databases

Can find a specific file quickly

Can alphabetize and sort data faster than most people

Is an accurate as the data that is entered

Can make many different types of reports

Who uses computerized databases in the real world?

Stores use them to keep track of inventory

Travel agents can keep up with their customers and reservations

Hospitals track patient information.

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GLOSSARY

Database: A database is an organized collection of information.

Database File: A database file is made up of related records in a database.

Field: A category of information in a database. An example of a field would be the street address category in a computerized address book.

Entry: Data that is in a field. An example of an entry would be the person's name or phone number.

Sort: To arrange data in a particular order, such as alphabetical or numerical.

Ascending order: method of sorting data in alphabetical order (A Z) or numerical order (0-9)

Descending order: the opposite of ascending order. Example: Reverse alphabetical order
(Z-A) or reverse numerical is high to low (9-0).

Search: A method to find specific data within a database that meets certain conditions or criteria.

Next Record Search: A database operation that finds the first record after the highlight in which the
specified date is present.

All Records Search: A database search that displays on the screen only those records containing the
specified data.

Wildcard: A character in a search that permits any character to be specified. For example, the search
criteria al* will find Alabama, already, or Albert. Ion a database search, the asterisk (*) is the wildcard
character to replace one or more letters; the question mark (?) is the wildcard character to replace only
one letter.

Filters: A database feature that displays records that meet one or more specific criteria.

Multiple Criterion Filter: A database operation that displays records that meet several criteria
simultaneously.

Connectors: Words such as and, or, and not that join certain conditions together when performing a
search.

Operators: Mathematical symbols used in database filters

(>) greater than
(<) less than
(=) equal to
(>) greater than or equal to
(<) less than or equal to

When searching/filtering for text, it is often best to use the "contains" operator. This will allow you to key in the first several identifying letters, but not the whole word or words.